Longtime Manager To Run Citrus Plant After Buyout

NOTES

September 8, 1997

Don't look for Citrosuco Paulista S.A., the Brazilian citrus giant, to bring in a manager from South America to run its new plant in Lake Wales. The Alcoma plant, which Citrosuco bought last week, will still be run by Phil Herndon, whose family has owned and managed the Polk County plant for many years. Herndon will report to Elliott Seabrook, president of Citrosuco North America. Seabrook will move his office from Mount Dora to Lake Wales within a few months. He is the longtime president of Juice Farms Inc., an importer of Citrosuco juice, based in Lake County. The name Juice Farms will no longer be used because the company's assets were also bought by Citrosuco.

Planet Hollywood job cuts not so deep as rumored

News of their departure was greatly exaggerated. Or so it seems. The Orlando tourism community was buzzing last week with talk of a big layoff at Planet Hollywood International, the chain that includes Planet Hollywood and the Official All Star Cafes. That wasn't quite the case, according to President Robert Earl. There was a seasonal staff reduction of about 50 people at restaurants around the country, he said, though none at the Orlando site. A few duplicated positions in the headquarters staff were cut, too, he added.

Florida Hospital makes bid for Titusville hospital

Although Parrish Medical Center's consultant has urged the Titusville hospital to merge with Health First Inc., there is some last-minute competition. Last week, Florida Hospital submitted a detailed plan tailored to please the consultant. Florida Hospital proposes building a $60 million, 210-bed replacement hospital, paying Parrish $10.2 million in cash and creating a board that the Titusville community would control. A decision is expected next Monday.

Attorney general to take a look at TWC takeover Trish Conners, head of the Florida attorney general's antitrust section, will take a peek at Time Warner Cable's takeover of Tele-Communications Inc. customers in Central Florida. That's just to make sure nothing there warrants a full-blown examination of the proposed deal, the attorney general's press office says. Don't look for it to become full-blown. Cable officials are confident that the feds and local franchise holders are the only ones with a say-so.

Besides, the state has its plate full with matters where it clearly does have some regulatory oversight, such as the pending NationsBank acquisition of Barnett Bank. Sensitive bank records are being subpoenaed.

Developers see county as possible tower tenant

Developers with dreams of downtown office towers are still courting Orange County as a tenant. Although the county's new courthouse is about finished, the new digs do not take care of all the county's space needs. Some departments still are scattered in various locations around downtown. The county made an unsuccessful bid to buy the 201 E. Pine Street Building to consolidate those offices.